Cynthia Robertson

San Diego History

Imperial Beach Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Southwesterly Most Beach Town Rubs Shoulders with Mexico
By Cynthia Robertson
Posted on Sep 21 2006
Last updated Jul 11 2007

If you haven’t recently tended to the beach-goer within you, there’s a special place just for you. The wide, nearly isolated expanse of sand and sea at Imperial Beach will awaken your hunger for the sound, surf and shimmer of the sea. In this southwesterly most community in San Diego County, the beach offers some of the best surfing, sunbathing, jogging, fishing and sandcastle building in southern California.

Only a few miles north of the Mexican border, 40-something visitors to Imperial Beach can enjoy a rare solitude while contemplating the nearness of our neighbor to the south. This beach also features some of the best sand in the nation, making it a good place for the yearly U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition. At the far southern end of the beach is the protected nesting grounds for the Least Tern, an endangered bird. The Imperial Beach Pier itself offers opportunities for surf fishing and strolling.

Reminiscent of the hippie and biker community that it was famous for in the 1970s, this community hosted a Grand Re-Opening event of the Imperial Beach Pier on August 19, closely coinciding with the city’s 50^th anniversary.

Brown Pelican over Imperial Beach

Photo by C. Robertson

Copyright©2006 sandiego.com, Inc.

Surfhenge," a neon-colored surfboard-shaped monument, welcomes beachgoers at the foot of the pier. Benches resembling surfboards sit near plaques dedicated to the city's pioneering surfers. Imperial Beach is rightly proud of its surfing history. Legendary Dempsey Holder began riding Imperial Beach's waves in the 1930s and was known as the "Dean of the Sloughs" for surfing the Tijuana Sloughs, a deep-water reef popular for big waves. Holder led a group of surfing pioneers, many of whom went on to surf in Hawaii.

Lone Fisher at Imperial Beach

Photo by C. Robertson

Copyright©2006 sandiego.com, Inc.

Imperial Beach received its name in the late 19^th century as an appeal to the residents of Imperial Valley. But until 1906, when ferry and railroad connections with San Diego were completed, Imperial Beach remained a quiet seaside village. The true heart of the city is the pier and surrounding shops and restaurants on Seacoast Drive. The bottom end of Seacoast Drive is the furthest south beach-goers can drive in Imperial Beach. A walk over the cobble-stoned dunes will reveal a sparkling beach.

On weekends and holidays, adventurers who want to probe deeper into Imperial Beach can drive out east on Palm Avenue, south on Hollister Road, then west on Monument Road until they reach the Border Field State Park. There, a chain fence is the only thing separating them from Mexico. The wind is strong and cool on this mesa-land overlooking the ocean. Border Patrol cars are silent sentries on the beach.

Another claim to uniqueness for the city of Imperial Beach is the Tijuana River around which exists the Tijuana Estuary, a national sanctuary and preserve for waterfowl. The estuary, which encompasses Tijuana Slough, is one of Southern California’s finest salt water marshes.

This surf city is worth driving the extra mile to discover, in all seasons. As the winter tides become lower, opportunities for tide-pooling are at their best. And it’s always a temptation to walk as far south down the beach as possible and peer into our neighboring country.

About the author: Cynthia Robertson is a freelance writer based in San Diego.
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Comments

Posted by jorge martinez	April 26, 2008
this beach gets really good surf at the sloughs...one of the best break in all of so cal

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